DeskStream acquires NI cloud start-up WorldDesk at CES

DeskStream CEO Rao Cherukuri with WorldDesk co-founders Jonathan Chesney and Claire Moore, at the signing of the definitive agreement in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Desktop virtualisation software provider DeskStream has acquired Belfast start-up WorldDesk. The deal was announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas today, but the financial details have not been disclosed.

Founded in 2010, WorldDesk will continue to be based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and its employees, including co-founders Jonathan Chesney and Claire Moore, will join DeskStream.

Rao Cherukuri founded Silicon Valley start-up DeskStream in 2007. The company has development centres in California and in Hyderabad, India. It will adopt the WorldDesk name and branding with immediate effect, with the financial terms of the deal closing in Q1 2012.

By taking WorldDesk into its portfolio, DeskStream will take control of the start-up’s cloud-based workspace delivery platform prototype built on Dropbox.

Mobile computing market

Speaking following the announcement at CES today, CEO Cherukuri pointed to how the collusion of DeskStream’s thin client technology and the work WorldDesk has done on the management and delivery of workspaces from the cloud could have the "potential to transform the mobile computing market".

"This acquisition speaks to the strength of our business and the sector as a whole. We are already experiencing a sea change in how people view cloud computing and desktop virtualisation," said Cherukuri.

WorldDesk co-founders Chesney and Moore said they had set up WorldDesk in order to "revolutionise" how organisations, individuals and, especially, schools use computers.

“We wanted to fundamentally alter the norm of how people think of, and use, their computer desktop. DeskStream shares this vision and has placed a great deal of confidence in our mission. We are delighted with today’s announcement and we look forward to taking WorldDesk to the next level," said the duo.